SHILLONG: Assembly Speaker Metbah Lyngdoh on Saturday said that all the 60 MLAs have decided to contribute 10 per cent of their salary for a year to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.
The Speaker had convened a meeting with the Deputy Chief Minister, Prestone Tynsong, and Leader of Opposition Mukul Sangma to discuss about the contribution.
“In the discussion today (Saturday), it was decided that all the 60 MLAs will contribute 10 per cent of their salaries with effect from April 1, 2020 to March 2021, to the CM’s relief fund,” Lyngdoh said.
“I am happy that the Deputy Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition have agreed. This is the time to come together as legislators to see what best we can do for the entire state,” he said.
Lyngdoh also said that the meeting discussed the steps, preventive measures and precautions taken by the government to ensure that COVID-19 doesn’t spread or reach the state.
He informed that Chief Minister Conrad Sangma was unable to attend the meeting as he was engaged in a video conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He further added, “We are convinced that the government is moving in the right direction and is making sincere efforts to see that coronavirus does not spread to Meghalaya.”
The Speaker also thanked the citizens of the state for their cooperation and said, “I understand that success depends on full cooperation and participation of the people of the state.”
He also urged citizens to continue to adhere to the instructions given by the government from time to time.
Speaker for lockdown extension
Earlier on Friday, Lyngdoh had urged the chief minister to extend the lockdown period till the end of April, citing rising cases of COVID-19 across the country.
In a letter submitted to the chief minister, the Speaker also wanted closure of all big markets in the state and those at the interstate and international borders.
Lyngdoh suggested using odd-even system while allowing private vehicles to ply.
He also asked the chief minister to advise the Centre to stop movement of troops to the state besides the transfer and posting of central armed forces for the time being as a precautionary measure.
He stressed the need of spraying disinfectants at all vehicles at the entry point carrying essential commodities.
The speaker also urged the chief minister to make additional logistics other than 1917iTEAMS available, for transporting agricultural products of farmers from the state.
Further, he said strict vigilance should be there to check price rise of essential commodities.
